The Gigahertz (GHz) and Terahertz (THz) regions of the microwave spectrum have been identified as an area where macro molecule resonances may be detected without destructive ionization of the original molecules. Of particular interest is the ability to measure the molecular vibration of large molecules in applications ranging from medical sensing to bio-terrorism warning sensors. Detection schemes for sensing these regions have primarily relied on the induction of a thermal change in extremely sensitive bolometers. These devices respond to a received signal by converting RF energy into a thermal change in the bolometer element, which in turn generates stress. This stress may be measured by detecting a static change in the capacitance shift as the element moves relative to a sensing electrode. Advanced bolometers are used in astronomy and other applications that utilize hot electrons in superconducting materials. While these systems are extremely sensitive, they are also extremely expensive and require a significant infrastructure of equipment to operate them. These approaches either provide a narrow frequency response per element and require an array of narrow responses with each element in the array having a slightly different response region, or provide magnitude data (but not frequency measurements) within their receiving bandwidth.
Therefore a need exists for a sensor capable of working with broadband emitters and able to provide frequency mapping of the received signals, thereby simplifying the electronics required for spectral analysis. Further, a device designed to have a variety of sensitivities or gains to be used in a wide variety of environments and applications is also needed.